Demonstration of improved automatic target-recognition performance by moment analysis of correlation peaks

We report the results of experimental tests of an optical-correlator-based automatic target recognition (ATR) system that uses the correlation-peak moment analysis technique of Caprari [Appl. Opt. 38, 1317 (1999)] to assist in discrimination between target and clutter peaks. The ATR system and its operation are briefly described with particular attention devoted to a practical scheme for enhancing the basic ATR system with correlation-peak moment detectors. We investigate the variation of detection and false-alarm rates of moment detectors with moment threshold values. For fixed moment thresholds, we present receiver operating characteristics of both basic and enhanced systems as the conventionally used correlation-peak energy threshold is varied. Results demonstrate that correlation-peak moment analysis materially improves ATR system target-detection performance.